In case you were wondering, this should really cement your opinion of me as a geek. But I want to give credit to the people who write this stuff. We talk about John Williams and Danny Elfman and a thousand other modern composers, and don't get me wrong, they're incredible and definitely deserving of the praise they receive. But there are a ton of others out there who do what they do, but instead of a 2 hour movie they're scoring a game that has 30+ hours of playtime. A lot of this is probably explained by nostalgia factor and I honestly don't expect a lot of people to care a whole lot, but I think a lot of gamers will agree with me on this. There is some serious talent out there, and most of it's overlooked because of the medium.
Just as a warning, this is pretty ridiculously geeky. You have been warned. If you're comment's going to be "You're such a geek Ell," trust me, I already know.
10. Gerudo Valley
Game: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Composer: Koji Kondo
Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VZPNvs5NeQ
I never had an N64. I heard this at a friend's house one day, and it might have been the first time I really realized how good game music could be. It's a fan favorite to this day, 13 years after Ocarina of Time's release. It's so well liked that it was included in Super Smash Bros. Brawl completely unaltered. You really don't hear flamenco style music in games very often, this being one of only two examples I can think of.
9: Clash on the Big Bridge
Game: Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy XII
Composer: Nobou Uematsu, FFXII version arr. by Hitoshi Sakimoto
Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CMTXyExkeI (FFV),
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxllTHj5zRI (FFXII)
Boss music always sticks with gamers. And this is one of the best boss themes ever. While Final Fantasy games are almost always unconnected, Gilgamesh is a recurring boss across the series, and this is his theme. I've never played FFV, so I was introduced to this by FFXII, but I felt like I needed to include the original. I personally prefer the FFXII version, but they're both great.
8. Gym Leader Battle
Game: Pokemon Red and Blue
Composer: Junichi Masuda
Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PQ9hQLWNCM
Click the link. You just smiled. Moving on.
7: Stickerbrush Symphony
Game: Donkey Kong Country 2
Composer: David Wise
Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J67nkzoJ_2M
Honestly, I could just put up 10 DKC songs and be done here. I didn't catch this piece when I played through DKC 2 the first time, but when I found out what level it's from, I instantly remembered getting stuck on that level with my cousins as a kid (now, I can't even make it to that level. I have DKC 2 on my Wii). The reason it's so peaceful is because the level is incredibly frustrating.
6. Fire Emblem Theme
Game: Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
Composer: Yuka Tsuijiyoko, Hirokazu Tanaka
Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y48H5FuCy1k
This song is pretty much auditory heroism. The Fire Emblem Theme has been constant over the entire series, but this is my favorite version. There's a version with lyrics that was featured in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but the instrumental is so much better.
5. Sanctuary
Game: Kingdom Hearts 2
Composer: Yoko Shimomura
Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj9UDnbxquo
This music manages to capture the entire mood of the game. It's really incredible. There's also a J-Pop version which was featured in the commercials for the game, which makes the dark, epic feeling of this piece all the more impressive. KH3 can't get here soon enough.
4. Aerith's Theme
Game: Final Fantasy VII
Composer: Nobuo Uematsu
Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIqKWLkm2-g
If you've played FFVII, this song is forever in your memory. For a generation of gamers, this song played at one of the saddest moments in their careers; the death of Aerith (or Aeris, if you prefer). For a lot of us, this was the first time a game made us cry.
3. The Unsung War
Game: Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War
Composer: Keiki Kobayashi
Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Qkzj5bStU
That Latin chanting? It's describing the player's legend in-game. It's one of the most over-the-top themes I've ever heard, especially for an arcade flight sim. The incredible thing is that it works perfectly. It also presents an amusing contrast with the game's other theme: Blurry by Puddle of Mudd.
2. Arnhem Knights
Game: Medal of Honor: Frontline
Composer: Michael Giaachino
Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLiRgNFvfGw
WWII games are pretty much dead nowadays, but MoH: Frontline was one of the best ever. This played during the level representing the Battle of Arnhem in September of 1944. The city has been bombed into oblivion and you have to fight your way across it, with the help of a squad of British paratroopers. As it goes on, more and more of your allies are killed in action, leaving you alone in a destroyed city. The Allies lost this battle, by the way.
1. Baba Yetu
Game: Civilization IV
Composer: Christopher Tin
Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G30MhXmlZGE
This the first piece of video game music ever to be nominated for and win a Grammy (admittedly, that came six years after Civ IV came out when Christopher Tin rereleased it on a separate CD). The lyrics are the Lord's Prayer translated into Swahili. For a history guy like me, hearing this really drives home the effect the various nations and leaders in the game had on history. The menu screen itself makes it even better; Earth is in the background, and as the music plays, the lights of civilization begin to appear as the planet rotates. If video game menus can be art, Civilization IV's most definitely qualifies. I've been known to start the game just to listen to the theme and read the in-game encyclopedia.
So that's the list. If you're a symphonic music person, they're definitely worth listening to. I realize they're not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but hey, different strokes for different folks. I would do an honorable mention list, but there's just too many to mention.
